Garment associated to protective inflatable devices

ABSTRACT

Garment ( 10 ) comprising means ( 20, 30 ) for active protection of the upper part of the body against falls and/or impacts with obstacles, in which a single active protection means ( 20, 30 ) extends from one side to the other of the chest above the sternum.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the National Stage of International Application No.PCT/IT2003/000754, filed Nov. 20, 2003, now International Publication WO2005/048754, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates to a garment which, in addition toprotecting the trunk of a person's body from the normal climateconditions (wind, rain, etc.), is also associated with an inflatableprotective device or airbag.

For some years now both research and development and industrialactivities are being conducted, albeit on a small scale, with the aim ofmaximizing the protection, against knocks and violent impacts, ofpersons performing sporting and non-sporting activities which involvemovement at high speed without a cockpit or other protective structure.In particular the category of users at whom this research activity isdirected is that of motorcyclists, including both those taking part inhigh-speed competitions and those performing journeys over more or lesslong distances on large or medium-size motorcycles.

Articles of clothing equipped or associated with airbags have thusappeared on the market, said airbags being activated automatically whenspecial sensors detect a potentially very dangerous risk in the event ofimpacts and/or particularly sudden braking.

Among the solutions which constitute the present state of the art,reference may be made to those documented by the patents U.S. Pat. No.4,977,623 De Marco) and EP-A-1,315,427 (Dainese).

U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,623 discloses a series of articles of clothingaccommodating various airbags which are inflated when impact sensorsdetect a danger condition consisting in a deceleration which is greaterthan a predetermined threshold. Some sensors are arranged on thevehicle, for example on a motorcycle, and transmit the danger signal viaradio waves to the airbag inflation means. Other sensors of the sametype are mounted in the same article of clothing and transmit the signalby means of electric leads. In the case of a jacket, inflation of theairbags protects the trunk of the person wearing it This patent does notprovide any information as to the manufacture of the articles ofclothing, including the manner of arranging the airbags, except for afigure which shows a vertical zip fastener in a position centred on thefront of an inflatable jacket.

EP-A-1,315,427 describes an article of clothing consisting of an outerjacket made of textile material and a waistcoat made of flexiblecomposite material and associated by means of a zip fastener with theinner side of the jacket in a position symmetrical with the spinalcolumn of the person wearing said jacket. A first airbag for protectingthe back and two further front (right and left) airbags for protectingthe two rows of ribs are joined to the waistcoat by means of stitcheswhich are resistant to the pulling force following inflation. Theseairbags are arranged between the waistcoat and the jacket. The variousparts which form the jacket, however, are joined together by stitcheswhich extend along lines different from those of the abovementioned zipfasteners and which break when subjected to a given pulling force. Inthis embodiment also the airbag inflation means are controlled by anelectronic control unit connected to various sensors by means of leadsor optical fibres which are at least partially incorporated in thejacket and/or in the waistcoat.

This embodiment has the following drawbacks:

-   -   the article of clothing consists of two separate garments and is        inevitably difficult to manufacture owing to the use of        different materials and technologies;    -   the cost of the waistcoat is high owing to the complexity of the        material from which it is made, especially if it also        incorporates optical fibres and the like;    -   the jacket opens at the front in a central position so that the        front airbags are arranged laterally and therefore do not offer        any protection to the central chest area (sternum) of the person        in event of a frontal impact

It would be desirable—and forms the main object of the presentinvention—to provide those persons performing activities which involvehigh-speed movements without any surrounding bodywork or similarprotective structure with a garment fitted with airbags, which garmenthas a design which is simpler, more effective and less costly than thearticles of clothing known from the present state of the art.

An article having the characteristic features of the accompanying claimsis able to achieve this object, together with others, as will becomeclear from the following description of a preferred, but not exclusive,embodiment consisting of a motorcyclists' jacket This description refersto the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a motorcyclists' jacket according to the invention in theopen condition, viewed from the inside;

FIG. 2 shows the same jacket in the closed condition, viewed from thefront;

FIG. 3 shows the jacket according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the closedcondition, viewed from the rear;

FIG. 4 shows the rear airbag associated with the jacket according toFIGS. 1 to 3, viewed from the rear;

FIG. 5 shows the front airbag associated with the jacket according toFIGS. 1 to 3, viewed from the rear,

FIG. 6 shows a belt which is associated with the jacket according toFIGS. 1 to 3, viewed in the open condition and from the outside;

FIG. 7 shows a three quarters view, from the front and in a partiallytransparent manner, of the overall appearance of the jacket when boththe airbags according to FIGS. 4 and 5 are inflated.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a motorcyclists' jacket 10 isconventionally made of synthetic—for example polyamide orpolyester-based—materials which are flexible and abrasion-resistant. Thejacket 10 comprises, in addition to accessory parts or parts in any caseof no relevance for the invention, two sleeves 11A and 11B provided withreinforcements 12, a collar 13 with a short central lowered neckline 14which can be preferably closed by means of a zip fastener (not shown).

According to a characteristic feature of the invention, the frontopening 15, which moreover extends conventionally over the entire heightof the jacket, is not straight and in a central position, namely alongthe central chest area of the person wearing the jacket, but is in aposition offset along a line curved inwards towards the sleeve 11A—seeFIG. 2. The front opening 15 is also preferably able to be closed bymeans of a zip fastener (not shown).

According to another characteristic feature of the invention, a firstairbag 20 and a second airbag 30 are fixed to the inner side of thejacket 10. This fixing operation is performed, in the embodimentdescribed and illustrated here, by means of respective stitches 25 and35 which extend along the perimeter of the airbags 20 and 30.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the first airbag 20 has a perimeter which issubstantially rectangular with a vertical side 21 aligned with one edgeof the front opening 15 of the jacket 10, but with a V-shaped cut-out 22along the upper side 23, at the lowered neckline 14 of the jacket 10,and an appended portion 26, which also has a substantially rectangularperimeter, extending from the other vertical side 24. The appendedportion 26 accommodates a known pyrotechnic device 27 (for example suchas that produced by Autoliv or TRW) for inflating the airbag 20 when aserious risk condition is detected, as will be explained more dearlybelow. The horizontal amplitude of this airbag 20 is such that itssecond side 24 extends vertically from the joining point of theleft-hand sleeve 11B. This means that the whole front area of the trunkof the person wearing the jacket 10 is protected by the first airbag 20,namely the sternum also, unlike in the case of the second type of airbagmentioned in the above description of the prior art in connection withthe present invention.

In turn, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the second airbag 30 hassubstantially the perimeter of an isosceles trapezium. The bottom end 31of the second airbag 30, which extends from the immediate vicinity ofthe second vertical side 24 of the first airbag 20 to the other edge ofthe front opening 15, is bigger than the upper end 32, which extendsalong the collar 13 of the jacket 10; the sides 33 and 34 of the secondairbag 30 are curved outwardly, in the same manner as the front opening15. In the vicinity of the bottom end 31 there is situated a secondpyrotechnic device 27 a, which is constructionally and functionallyidentical to the device 27 already mentioned, for performing inflationof the airbag 30. While the first airbag 20 protects the user's chestand abdomen, the second airbag protects the user's back, being fixed(see FIG. 1) to the rear of the jacket 10.

FIG. 6 shows a belt 60, which is made for example of plastic materialassociated with the jacket 10. Said belt, in the embodiment describedhere, comprises a rectangular central element 62 connected, by means oftwo flexible strips 60 a, to two lateral elements 64. The lateralelements 64, on the opposite side to the element 62, are tapered,terminating in an appendage 66 made of flexible material and comprisingmeans 67 for closing the belt 60. These closing means may be made, forexample, using two Velcro® strips. The central element 62 houses anelectronic module 63 which receives and processes the risk and/or dangersignals emitted by suitable sensors (not shown) situated on the jacketand/or on the vehicle and, if necessary, activates the pyrotechnicdevices 27, 27 a for inflation of the airbags 20 and 30. The activationof the pyrotechnic devices 27, 27 a by the electronic module requiresthe provision of suitable connecting cables (not shown). Said cables mayconsist, for example, of copper conductors, flat leads or the likeand/or optical fibres. The lateral elements 64 comprise seats 64 asuitably shaped for supporting the pyrotechnic devices 27, 27 a.

The belt 60, see FIGS. 1 and 7, is fixed over a part of its length alongthe inside of the jacket 10, for example, by means of stitching, so thatit is positioned, when the jacket is closed, around the user's waistOnce the airbags 20 and 30 have been fitted to the jacket 10 during themanufacturing stage, the associated pyrotechnic devices 27, 27 a areinserted into the seats 64 a so that they are stably fixed there. Inorder to put on the jacket 10 correctly, the user must first fasten thebelt 60 around his/her waist using the closing means 67 and then closethe jacket 10 using—in this embodiment—the associated zip fastener.

The jacket 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) comprises, at the front and rear,flaps 70 covering the airbags 20 and 30. Said flaps, the edges 71 ofwhich are shown in broken lines in FIGS. 2 and 3, are releasably joinedto the jacket 10, for example by means of Velcro® strips or stitcheswith a predefined breakage strength, arranged along the edges 71 of saidflaps. In order for the airbags 20 and 30 to be effective, it isnecessary for them to inflate instantly and to the maximum of theirvolume, thereby ensuring maximum protection. Since expansion of theairbags could be opposed by the resistance of the material from whichthe jacket 10 is made, resulting also in the risk of a sudden impact forthe user, this expansion is allowed to take place towards the outside ofthe jacket 10. Upon activation of the pyrotechnic devices 27, 27 a andconsequent inflation of the airbags 20 and 30, the flaps 70 separatefrom the rest of the jacket 10, allowing the said airbags to moveoutwards and expand since the joining means give way along the edges 71of the flaps 70. The form and arrangement of the flaps 70 may obviouslybe different from those shown in the accompanying figures, it beingessential only that the jacket 10 is able to give way in certain zonesunder the thrust of the expanding airbags.

This embodiment of the jacket 10 is dearly subject to numerous variants.For example the front opening 15 may be provided on the left-hand sideor the jacket 10 may be sleeveless. As regards the airbags 20 and 30,both of them may have forms different from those shown and may becombined with the pyrotechnic devices 27, 27 a in different positions.Moreover, the belt 60 may be designed, while retaining thecharacteristic features described, in such a way as to surround therider's chest. Similarly it is possible to provide a structure similarto the belt 60, but supported by straps passing over the shouldersand/or around the rider's neck.

The characteristic features of the invention may dearly be applied to agarment which instead also covers the bottom part of the body, forexample a suit.

The embodiment described, the variants mentioned hereinabove and all theembodiments implying the inventive idea of the present invention are tobe regarded as included within the scope of protection of the followingclaims.

1. A garment suitable for one of athletes and motorcyclists, the garmentcomprising: a jacket comprising a plurality of airbags to ensure anactive protection of the upper part of a body of one of athletes andmotorcyclists against one of trauma and fracture due to one of falls andimpact against an obstacle, said airbags being associated to aninflating device activated by electronic means in response to thedetection of one of risk and danger signals emitted by sensors; whereinthe jacket further comprises a front opening for access into and out ofthe garment by the one of athletes and motorcyclists, the front openingbeing in a position offset from a longitudinal centerline of the jackettoward a sleeve, the front opening comprising a curved line through alength of the jacket starting at a hemline and ending at a collar, thecurved line being directed toward the sleeve; wherein a first of saidairbags extends from one side to the other of a chest above the sternum;and wherein said inflating device is also comprised in the jacket. 2.The garment of claim 1, wherein the inflating device comprisespyrotechnics.
 3. The garment of claim 1, wherein said sensors areincorporated in the jacket.
 4. The garment of claim 1, wherein a secondairbag of the plurality of airbags is arranged on a back portion of thejacket.
 5. The garment of claim 4, wherein said first and second airbagare covered by flaps, the flaps being releasably joined to a remainingportion of the garment.
 6. The garment of claim 1 further comprising asupport means for housing the inflating device, said support means beingjoined to an inside of the jacket.
 7. The garment of claim 6, whereinthe support means comprises a belt.
 8. The garment of claim 6, whereinthe support means comprises a band for winding around the chest.
 9. Thegarment of claim 6, wherein the support means comprises a strap.
 10. Thegarment of claim 6, wherein the support means also houses saidelectronic means.
 11. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a bottomportion for covering a bottom part of a body.
 12. The garment of claim1, wherein the front opening comprises a closure.
 13. The garment ofclaim 12, wherein the closure comprises a zippered closure.
 14. Agarment suitable for one of athletes and motorcyclists, the garmentcomprising: a jacket comprising a first airbag to ensure an activeprotection of the upper part of a body of one of athletes andmotorcyclists against one of trauma and fracture due to one of falls andimpact against an obstacle, the first airbag extending from a one sideto another side of the chest above the sternum; an inflating deviceassociated with the first airbag, the inflating device activated byelectronic means in response to the detection of one of risk and dangersignals emitted by a sensor, a front opening in a position offset from alongitudinal centerline of the garment toward a sleeve, the frontopening being for access into and out of the garment by the one ofathletes and motorcyclists, the front opening comprising a curved linethrough a length of the jacket starting at a hemline and ending at acollar, the curved line being directed toward the sleeve; a zip fastenerdisposed in the front opening for opening and closing the opening; aninflating device comprised in the jacket; wherein the sensor isincorporated in the jacket.
 15. The garment of claim 14, wherein theinflating device comprises pyrotechnics.
 16. The garment of claim 14,wherein a second airbag is arranged on a back portion of the jacket, thesecond airbag associated with the inflating device.
 17. The garment ofclaim 16, wherein said first and second airbag are covered by flaps, theflaps being releasably joined to a remaining portion of the garment. 18.The garment of claim 14 further comprising a support means for housingthe inflating device, said support means being joined to an inside ofthe jacket.
 19. The garment of claim 18, wherein the support meanscomprises a belt.
 20. The garment of claim 18, wherein the support meanscomprises a band for winding around the chest.
 21. The garment of claim18, wherein the support means comprises a strap.
 22. The garment ofclaim 18, wherein the support means also houses said electronic means.23. A garment suitable for one of athletes and motorcyclists, thegarment comprising: a jacket comprising a plurality of airbags to ensurean active protection of the upper part of a body of one of athletes andmotorcyclists against one of trauma and fracture due to one of falls andimpact against an obstacle, said airbags being associated to aninflating device activated by electronic means in response to thedetection of one of risk and danger signals emitted by sensors; whereinthe jacket further comprises a front opening in a position offset from alongitudinal centerline of the jacket toward a sleeve, the front openingcomprising a curved line directed toward the sleeve; wherein a first ofsaid airbags extends from one side to the other of a chest above thesternum, the plurality of airbags being covered by flaps, the flapsbeing releasably joined to a remaining portion of the garment; andwherein said inflating device is also comprised in the jacket.